In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Another year rolls around. Another Reformation Day. The red colour is fun. But does the Reformation still matter? Does anyone really care? When churches are emptying out in Europe and North America why are you Lutherans still doing your own thing, being so rigourous on the Bible, the Bible, the Bible? Or more specifically: the Gospel, the Gospel, the Gospel?

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

People the world over think of God like genie in a bottle. Rub him just the right way and get your magic wishes. Pray the right way. Do the right actions. Or believe the right things and you can get goodies from God. This is patently false.

In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Know your place. Especially on Thanksgiving weekend when all the family gathers. The kids at the card table. The adults, and heads of the family aligned in order at the big table. The father at the head carving the turkey. Ya. Right. Those vestiges of yesteryear are rarely found anymore. And most of us react rather viscerally to such ideas. Some of you may say, “Ah, the good old days when all was right in world.” Others may say, “Ah, the bad old days when all was vile, patriarchal, and oppressive.”

Yet here is Jesus saying, “Know your place. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.” And giving us a lesson in how to win friends and influence people; how to be shown great honour in your community, by forcing the hand of the one who invited you to raise your profile, your status by giving you a better place in the banquet. A place of honour. Thus, you will be shown to be humble, and to be of high rank all at the same time. A win-win for you. Ya. Right.